Benito Garza

Benito Garza was a Mexican cattle rancher during the early 19th century. He served as a Captain in the Mexican Army's dragoons during the Texas Revolution, even though his sisters' husbands were fighting on the other side at the Battle of the Alamo. After the war, he became a bandit, and he was killed by the Texas Rangers in 1837.

Biography
Benito Garza was born in southern Texas to a family of Spanish origin that could trace its roots to the 16th century; his mother was the daughter of Don Pedro Saldana, Spanish royalty. He was the brother of Maria Trinidad and Josefina Teresa. Garza worked as a cattle rancher, and he developed a reputation among both fellow ranchers and the women of Victoria, Texas. Garza was hired by Texan settler Maddie Quimper to bring Mustang horses from southern Texas to her settlement near San Felipe. Garza befriended Zave Campbell, the Scottish settler Finlay McNab, and Finlay's son Otto McNab, teaching Otto how to rope horses and how to speak Spanish. He also married his two sisters off to Campbell and McNab, with Maria marrying McNab and Josefina marrying Campbell. Garza also expressed his love for Quimper; she refused to marry him, but they would develop an intimate relationship. Garza was like another father figure for the young Otto McNab, and he forged close bonds with Otto as well.

Texas Revolution
Unfortunately, this lifestyle would come to an end in 1835, when Garza decided that he would remain loyal to Mexico during the impending war against the Texian settlers; he failed to convince Quimper to stay with his sisters at their house, and he went off to join the Mexican Army. Garza served in the dragoons, and he fought at the Battle of the Alamo against his brothers-in-law, both of whom died in the battle. In April 1836, Garza could only watch as Quimper was shot by his fellow dragoons for pulling a rifle on them in defense of her ferry, and Quimper decided to help her other lover Stephen F. Austin in burying her. Garza was captured by the Texans after the Battle of San Jacinto, and he was released when the war ended.

Bandit
After the Texas Revolution, Garza decided to become a bandito, leading a band of Mexican outlaws in raids against Texan settlements; he led his own personal war against Texas. His band of marauding Mexican bandits burnt down towns and killed random civilians, and the Texas Rangers posted a bounty for him. Captain Sam Garner was assigned to lead the hunt for Garner, and he promised a strip of land in southern Texas to the men who would hunt him down. In 1837, McNab met Garza at the home of Garza's sisters (including McNab's stepmother), where they found that the two sisters had been killed by Comanches. Garza and McNab agreed that they would kill each other the next time that they saw each other, and Garza told McNab that they were no longer brothers.

Downfall
McNab discovered where Garza lived, and he sought permission from Captain Sam Garner to cross the Rio Grande River into Mexico to kill Garza. However, this would be an act of war against Mexico, and Garner did not want to humiliate Texas in front of the United States. McNab decided to go either way, and he snuck past Garza's sleeping guards. He confronted Garza, and he attempted to convince him to come back across the river with him and be arrested; Garza knew that he would be hanged. The two then engaged in a standoff, which was interrupted when Garza's girlfriend Lucia shot and wounded McNab. McNab proceeded to shoot Garza three times with two pistols after killing Lucia, and Garza was launched backwards. Garza died in McNab's arms, and he whispered hermano ("brother") to him before dying.